Otto bkintzenhofe



0. BRINTZENHOFE.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC VACUUM CLEANERS.

APPLICA'HON man JUNE 10, 1920.

1,386,836. Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

Inventor Otto Brintz enhofe y /%w/4 M His Attorney UNITED STATES OTTO BRINTZENHOFE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 ELECTRIC VACUUIVI CLEANER COMPANY, INC., A CURLORAZIION OF NEVT YGBJK.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC VACUUM-CLEANERS.

Application filed June 10,

i 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO Bnmrznnnorn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches for Electric Vacuum-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to electric vacuum cleaners and particularly to such cleaners of the type designed for domestic use having a switch at the end of the handle which switch is operated by a switch cap which closes the open end of and forms a part of the grip at the end of the handle rod, and is turned to open and close the switch.

The end of a vacuum cleaner handle is often subjected to blows due to the handle being dropped or to its striking agamst a wall and the object of my present invention is to provide an improved structure and arrangement wherein the switch cap itself will not be breakable and the switch mechanism to which the cap is applied will be protected from shocks which might injure or damage it.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is d1- rected to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a s1de elevation of a vacuum cleaner embodying my 1nvention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a switch cap detached from the handle, and Flg. 8 is a view of the outer end of a handle showing the switch cap and adjacent parts in section.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates the motor of a cleaner, 6 the floor piece supported by rollers 7 8 the dust bag, and 9 the handle rod. At the outer end of handle rod 9 is a bent sleeve 10 preferably of metal, which forms a grip or handle and also a housing for an electric switch 11. Switch 11 may be of any suitable type and may be fastened in sleeve 10 by a screw or other means. It is provided with a threaded actuating post 12, which is turned to open and close the switch.

Now, according to my inventlon, I form or construct a switch cap of two parts 13 and 1 1. The part 13 which is the inner part formed of some hard substance, such as Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 9, 1227..

1920. Serial No. 388,011.

a hard rubber composition, and at its center it is provided with a threaded opening into which the threaded actuating post 12 of switch 11 screws. l Vhcn made of hard rubher composition I preferably provide a bushing 15 fixed at the center of part 12 and threaded to screw over post 12. Cap part 13 has a shoulder 16 which engages the end of sleeve 10 and a flange 17 which fits inside sleeve 10 to hold the switch cap against lateral movement.

The part 1 1 of the switch cap, which is the outer part, is formed of a yieldable nonbreakable substance such as rubber, and may be fastened to the inner part 13 in any suitable manner. Preferably part 13 1 has an axially projecting flange 18 provided with a groove 19, and part 14 fits over flange 18 and has an annular inturned rim 20 which fits in such groove. This "forms a simple, eificient connecting means which permits of parts 13 and 1 1 being quickly and easily united.

The arrangement of the switch is such that when the switch cap is screwed down over post 12, shoulders 16 will strike the end of sleeve 10 before the cap reaches the end of the threads on the post. This insures that the shoulder will firmly engage the end of the sleeve, and, as is clear, when the cap can thread down no further on the post, turning of the cap will actuate the switch. The end of the cap is thus in firm frictional engagemtnt with the end of sleeve 10. This is desirable for protecting the switch mechanism -from axial shock as it insures that the switch cap cannot move axially. However, for ease of operation the friction be tween the end of the switch cap and sleeve 10 must not be too great and this requires the use of a hard substance. On the other hand to protect the switch cap from breakage due to blows on the end of the cap and to prevent such blows transmitting shocks to the switch requires that the cap be made or" some non-breakable, yieldable substance. By making my switch cap of two parts, the inner part 13' of a hard substance such as hard rubber composition and the outer part of a yieldable non-breakable substance, as rubber, I provide a switch cap which is nonbreakable and will absorb shocks and which at the same time presents a shoulder of a hard substance to the end of sleeve 10 so that the cap will turn readily for operating the switch. I preferably construct the cap parts of hard rubber composition and of rubber, respectively, as such materials are insulators and protect the users from electrical shocks.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a handle having a switch at the outer end thereof, of a switch cap for the switch comprising an inner part of hard material and an outer part 01 a yieldable, non-breakable material.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a handle having a switch at the outer end thereof, of a switch cap for the switch comprising an inner part of hard rubber composition and an outer part of relatively soft rubber.

3. The combination with a handle pro vided with a sleeve at its outer end, of a switch in said sleeve, and a switch cap comprising an inner part of a hard substance which bears against the end of the sleeve and closes such end, and an outer part of a yield-able, non-breakable substance.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of June, 1920.

OTTO BRINTZENHOFE. 

